Converting Your Husband with Your Behavior | Biblical Womanhood Series #3

I think that the sensibilities of modern women are offended, thanks to the insidious influence of feminism, by the idea that a wife's submission benefits her husband. This patriarchal structure oppresses women, they say, and does not allow women to develop themselves. Yet it's entirely biblical that a woman should happily submit to her husband, and that this benefits not only him, but herself as well. And with a careful reading of Scripture, we see the Beauty in God's ordered plan. Today we are looking at 1 Peter 3: 1-7, Catholic Confraternity Version. 

In like manner also let wives be subject to their husbands; so that even if any do not believe the word, they may without word be won through the behavior of their wives, observing reverently your chaste behavior. Let not theirs be the outward adornment of braiding the hair, or of wearing gold, or of putting on robes; but let it be the inner life of the heart, in the imperishableness of a quiet and gentle spirit, which is of great price in the sight of God. For in this manner in old times the holy women also who hoped in God adorned themelves, while being subject to their husbands. So Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You are daughters of hers when you do what is right and fear no disturbance. 

At the beginning of this passage we see that some women will be married to unbelievers, so if you are one of those, take heart. God was and is thinking of you and is giving you guidance in a difficult situation. Even if you married a Christian man, he could lose his faith, or he could be lukewarm and fail to take his family to church or be the spiritual head of the home. Perhaps he has lost his way through an addiction, or he suffers physical disabilities or a mental illness that make it more likely that he will fall short in his vocation as husband and father. 

The way out--of what may seem unbearable and feel like hell--for the wife is not necessarily to divorce her husband (though of course in the case of abuse, women need to get to safety and seek help), but rather to offer her suffering up to God for the bestowal of grace upon her husband. There is purpose in suffering. We must unite our afflictions to those of Jesus on the cross and lay it all at his feet.

And as the Bible assures us, we may win our husbands to a conversion by our behavior, by imitating the holy women of old. If New Testament women were charged with being submissive to their husbands as Sara was to Abraham in the Old Testament, then surely this message is still relevant for us today; and we additionally have New Testament examples such as Mary, the Mother of Our Lord, to show us the way. 

In some translations the word conversation is used instead of behavior, and I think that guarding our tongues is key to our husbands viewing us with reverence. Chastising our husbands never results in a good outcome, and often doing so escalates a potentially volatile situation, causing serious and even irreparable harm. If we cultivate that pearl of great price, a quiet and gentle spirit, we will please God, which is the ultimate point. 

Sometimes when I'm angry with my husband, or feeling taken for granted and unappreciated, my spirit becomes rebellious. I want to go on strike as a wife and not do things for my husband, like his laundry. But then I tell myself that I'm doing it for Jesus, and that way I can do it with joy and not resentment. 

Earlier this week I wanted my husband to do something for me, but he said no, not today. He had too many things that needed to be done, like paying the bills, and he needed my help with our home-based business. I was tempted to argue, and even reasoned with him that the task would only take a couple minutes. Again he said no, it would take longer than that, and by his tone I understood that my requiring his help even with something I thought would be simple, on this particular day would cause him stress. I remembered about being submissive, and I accepted his authority. 

Submission has to become a habit if we women are to be happy in our marriages. Not only will it also make our husbands happy, it will be a sacrifice of immense value to God, and it will help to build up the whole Body of Christ, which is crumbling. What you do to help your husband get to Heaven with your authentic Christian femininity can lead him to be a better man, you to be a better woman, and repairs the Church in ways you may never know. But know without doubt that it does. 

As far as how we dress and style our hair, I don't think this passage suggests that we literally don't wear braids. One sermon I heard online talked about how the pagan women of ancient Greece wore such elaborate braids that they looked like Medusa. So likely the message is to focus on our inward Beauty and keep our outward adornment modest and simple. In other words, don't try to look like the Kardashians, and don't act in worldly ways. 

Husbands, in like manner dwell with your wives considerately, paying honor to the woman as to the weaker vessel, and as co-heir of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered. 

It is fine for a wife to gently remind her husband of his duty to her, and how he is to treat her. However, we must not do it with rebuke, treating him like a naughty child. I think it's also interesting that being the weaker vessel is put forth as a reason to honor the woman. Feminism, conversely, teaches that women are no different than men (and transgenderism has followed as a logical conclusion!), and that we should be offended at the suggestion that we are the weaker sex in any way. Personally, I am relieved that I am designed to be weaker than my husband, and I admire his physical strength and applaud him for it! 

It's clear as well that Christianity teaches that women are equal in dignity to men, equal children of God, made in his image and likeness. This was a radical view in those times. And that last admonition to husbands, that your prayers be not hindered, makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. A husband who fails in his duty to his wife and who does not love her in the proper manner (we will see that it is indeed sacrificial love he is called to in another passage) will not have his prayers heard or answered. God will turn a deaf ear to such a man. The wife's submissive, gentle spirit will help to safeguard her husband from damnation. 

Women, allow your husbands to lead even if you don't think they do a stellar job at it. Allow them to provide for you and your children. Stop emasculating them with your harsh tongues and rebelliousness. Get out of their way and let them step up to the plate. Even if they fail, serve them as you would serve Jesus. We can find rest in our biblical womanhood, fearing no disturbance. 

Additional Note: 

Though divorce is strongly discouraged in the Catholic Church, allowance is made in canon law for physical separation, and even divorce, in certain cases. Future posts will explore the idea of mutual submission and the conditions under which it may be necessary for a husband and wife to separate for a period of time. 

A Closer Look at Titus 2: 5 ("Domestic") | Biblical Womanhood Series #2

Viggo Pedderson, 1888

 ...to be discreet, chaste, domestic, gentle, obedient to their husbands, so that the word of God be not reviled. Titus 2: 5, Catholic Confraternity Version, emphasis mine

Before I proceed with this series, a few housekeeping (pun sort of intended!) notes:

1.  My intention is to be inclusive of all Christians. To that end, I will be using a variety of Bible translations, both Catholic and non-Catholic. My choice will depend upon which translation offers the best clarity in tandem with my theme. Keep in mind that Catholic Bibles contain 7 Old Testament books (as do Orthodox Christian versions) that are omitted in Protestant Bibles. Rest assured that "apocryphal" verses used from Catholic Bibles are in harmony with the message on these topics found in our shared books. I offer them to further elucidate and strengthen the argument for biblical womanhood. (I do hope that non-Christians will also benefit from this guidance.)

2.  Being that I am Catholic and therefore am not a "Bible only" Christian, I will additionally be offering wisdom from Church Tradition, to include such resources as Catholic catechisms, apostolic letters, writings of the Church Fathers, etc. Again, I assure you that these writings will support and help to interpret the biblical texts. 

3.  My goal is to support all women in their endeavors to be good Christian disciples, wives and mothers. This includes mothers who work outside the home, single mothers, married and unmarried women, full-time homemakers, and wives without children. Guidance will also be given to unmarried, childless women. All women are called to be spiritual mothers. I condemn no one for their choices and circumstances, but rather wish to encourage all women, in whatever their situations, to seek to align their wills and lives to God's design. Some may be offended, and feelings may be hurt, but please believe that I'm here to help, and I care about your happiness.  

So let's take a look at this word, domestic. I chose this particular translation for the notes, as it comes from the St. Joseph Textbook Edition of 1963, which is an excellent study Bible, with references to original sources. This one tells us that in the translation into English rendered as "domestic," variants in the original Greek text give us two words very similar in form, meaning "home worker" and "stayer at home." 

I will add that in my research I've learned there is also the sense in the original Greek of women being the guardians of the home, and this nuance is well reflected in the King James Version as "keepers at home."  Other translations use "homemakers," "busy at home," and "workers at home." 

I have seen the emphasis on guardianship being used to argue that the Bible is not referring to domestic work in Titus, such as housekeeping, but rather to a spiritual care of the home. I would argue that it's all tied together, and the variety of translations make clear that the vocation of a wife and mother is carried out explicitly in the home. Of course, we will look at many other Bible passages that affirm the roles of men and women; but as this admonition to be full-time homemakers is a sticking point even for many Christian women, I thought it wise to rip off the band-aid and get it out of the way. No invisible elephants welcome in the room here! 

Let this serve to encourage, first of all, the full-time wife and mother who is busy at home, for whom the care and guardianship of her home and those in it are her top priorities. You sacrifice much and take a lot of heat for embracing this traditional lifestyle in a modern world dominated by radical feminism. A huge pile of guilt can fall on you for "being able" to stay home with your children, for "not working," for betraying the dogma of women's "liberation." 

But your obedience to God comes first, so please be affirmed in your choice, sacrifice, dedication, and courage. Be a light on the hilltop. Other women need to see your perseverance, conviction, joy, and yes, submission. Whether you have one child or ten, or even if you are a wife with no children, your place really is in the home. The home is your place of power. Have you ever thought of that before? Listen to this:

I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule their households, and give the adversary no occasion for abusing us. For already some have turned aside to Satan.  (1 Timothy 5: 14-15, Catholic Confraternity Version, emphasis mine)

While this passage is contained in St. Paul's directions for the care of widows, obviously the same message applies to non-widows. We see again that the young women are to take great care in their work in the home, which is their overriding purpose, in order to safeguard the word of God. Their physical presence in the home, nurturing husband and children, is necessary to the spiritual guardianship of the home and serves to guard their feminine power. I would argue that when women choose or are forced by circumstances to leave the home for many long hours in the workforce, it disempowers them. It emasculates the husbands as well, which is a topic for the future.

For now, take pride, in the best sense of the word, in your role as homemaker--guardian, ruler, and keeper of your domestic sphere. 

 

Hitting Pause

Despite my natural setting of hopefulness and my attempt to see the silver lining regarding Pope Francis' decision to practically abrogate the Latin Mass, I find myself feeling profoundly saddened. No matter how you look at it, it's a loss to the Catholic Church. I almost titled this post, "The Burden of Being Catholic." I feel overwhelmed, drained, confused, not peaceful. 

Today is Sunday, a day of rest. I didn't sleep well last night, or enough. But the day ahead will be sunny, and the sun always revives me. We've had enough of rain. 

It's time now to shut off the noise and retreat into prayer and contemplation. Adagio. Play the music slowly. 

Why the Abrogation of the Traditional Latin Mass Might Be a Good Thing | My Thoughts As a Catholic Convert

 

So Pope Francis dropped a bomb today with his motu proprio, "Traditionis Custodes," which effectively abrogates the "Traditional Latin Mass" (TLM), or Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Here is a summary of the situation without all the hysterics attached to it: https://catholic-link.org/pope-francis-new-motu-proprio-traditionis-custodes/.

Basically, the sweeping restrictions of the new motu proprio make null and void Pope Benedict XVI's "Summorum Pontificum" of 2007. After consulting with bishops all over the world, Francis decided that this change was necessary for the good of the unity of the Church. 

I started attending Mass in the fall of 2011, and my conversion to the Catholic Faith became official with my confirmation in March of 2013, which was the same month and year that the Francis pontificate began. I was aware of the TLM, but I went through RCIA and attended Mass at "Novus Ordo" churches, where only the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite was celebrated. I was converted through this form and was perfectly happy with it. I was glad that the Mass, though different in significant ways from my former experiences as a Protestant, was not entirely foreign. 

However, as I was a religious seeker prone to much research on the subject, I encountered the detractors of the "Novus Ordo" Mass and Vatican Counsel II early on, and their messages did instill doubt and engender criticism on my part of the Masses I attended. Traditionalists will insist, for example, that receiving Communion in the hand is a desecration of the Eucharist, that the TLM is the more reverent form of the Mass, and that there should not be female altar servers, among many other "liturgical abuses" that they point to. 

In a county adjacent to mine there is a church that has offered the TLM once a month, and I took the opportunity to attend it twice.  I enjoyed the Gregorian Chant, and admittedly the quality of music in Ordinary Form Masses is often, though not always, mediocre. I did think receiving the Eucharist kneeling rather than standing was more reverent, but otherwise, I didn't feel that the TLM was really more reverent in general. I also did not understand why only the host and not the wine was offered. Both are offered in the Ordinary Form. 

I couldn't follow what was going on in the TLM. I suppose that would eventually not be an issue once one got used to it, but nevertheless I felt discouraged. And because this Mass was only offered once a month and was not even at one of my sister parishes, I didn't feel like it could really offer me a sense of community. Now it seems that this Mass will no longer be held at that church, because according to the new motu proprio, the TLM can't be celebrated at parochial churches anymore. No mention is made as to where it can be celebrated, just that the bishops will have to work that out. 

While the TLM has not been categorically banned from the face of the earth, it seems clear that the intention is to eventually phase it out completely. There will be a time of transition leading to the integration of all the faithful into one expression of the Roman Rite. Additionally, care will be taken to ensure that no liturgical abuses exist, which has been a concern with the implementation of the "Novus Ordo." As a side note, nothing has been said regarding the Eastern Rites of the Church, and I imagine they may become a more popular option for those attached to the TLM. 

While I personally have nothing against the TLM, and my heart goes out to those who love it so much and are utterly committed to it as a lifestyle, I feel a sense not of relief exactly, but of peace that in the end this is not a bad call on the part of Pope Francis. 

The division in the Church that concerns him is quite real. I've personally had it shake my faith. I've observed the rhetoric against Vatican II, the "Novus Ordo" Mass (which is, after all, no longer new), and Pope Francis himself escalate to a fever pitch. Even the traditionalists are fighting amongst themselves. Conservative but not radical traditionalist Catholics like myself feel torn and somewhat homeless. It's a struggle to discern who is telling the truth. 

A whole Catholic subculture has developed around the TLM. What began as an aesthetic preference has morphed into folks insisting that theirs is the "true Church." They have lost the way of obedience to the Church Magisterium that characterizes Catholicism in the first place. They go so far as to say that there is an entirely different theology inherent in the TLM, and that the Ordinary Form is quite inferior. 

While there will surely be an uprising against "Traditionis Custodes" and an even greater sense of division in the Church will ensue, this may be what is needed for the future of Catholic unity. The schismatics will basically declare themselves as such by their actions, even if they continue to insist that they are the true followers of Christ. Catholics like me can let go of our doubts and stop thinking that maybe we should try to get to the TLM, even move to a place where it's offered every week in order to fully engage in the lifestyle. We can stop listening to the traditionalist commentators who seem to become more and more radical as time goes on. We can put our faith in the guidance of the Holy Spirit and stop being conspiratorial and suspicious of Vatican II and the development of doctrine since. We can reject the pronouncements of those who scandalize the church by defaming the character of our pope. 

Sure, there are serious problems in the Catholic Church, but probably no more than there are in other branches of Christianity, and in certain ways there are less. So let's not panic. Practice detachment instead of being reactionary. The sky is not falling, I promise. On this her feast day, may Our Lady of Mt. Carmel pray for us. 

Loving my Homemaker Life | Biblical Womanhood Series #1

 

For some time I've wanted to write a series on biblical womanhood, but I have hesitated for various reasons. Where to begin? Am I qualified? What if what I say hurts or offends people? Questions such as these kept the idea tucked in the back of my mind. 

Recently, on a sunny day while I was enjoying being outdoors, I had an epiphany. I love my life. The feeling of true contentment I experienced may have come after weeding my brick patio, of all things. It hit me out of nowhere, and I was filled with gratitude. I was also relieved to recognize the truth that I really do take joy in my life, because I was not always feeling that way. Homemaking is repetitious, can seem not that important, and can be extremely frustrating when one feels she never gets ahead, when her hard, faithful work is constantly unraveled. 

The internal knowledge that I love my simple life, that quiet wellspring of joy, came just before a crisis hit, and everything seemed to spiral out of control. I slid into fear, anger, resentment, and insecurity. The peace of my life was shattered, and I felt like I had reached an impasse in which I could not stay in my marriage. I thought my lovely homemaker days might have to come to an end. And while I have hope, I don't feel entirely confident that it will all work out. This is, of course, because I've been leaning on my own understanding and have not truly given the wheel over to Christ. 

How could I write about biblical womanhood under such uncertain conditions? Perhaps this is exactly the reason. It is clear to me today that biblical womanhood, sometimes also called authentic femininity, is the only way out. It's the only chance my family has of staying together and being happy. I believe that the Holy Spirit allowed me that window into true repose of the soul that day, right before the bottom dropped out, to sustain me through the storm. This life is worth fighting for. 

One thing I've learned is that I have to let go of perfectionism. No family is perfect, and I don't have to be perfect to teach on this subject. In fact, it's the reality of my shortcomings and what I have learned through the experience of 19 years of marriage and 17 years of motherhood that qualify me to teach on authentic Christian womanhood and family life. You will not find a June Cleaver here, though I suppose she can teach us a thing or two. 

Hmm... I just viewed images of June online, and I do find myself wanting to be her. I might just even search the library catalog for "Leave It to Beaver" on DVD! Trust me, you will never find me vacuuming in high heels. Even if I wanted to, my back and knees couldn't handle it. But otherwise, I mean, she was pretty awesome. 

The point here isn't whether or not I'm qualified, but that biblically I'm required, as an "older woman," to instruct the younger women in godliness. Titus 2: 1-5 (NKJV) says,

1But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: 2that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; 3the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— 4that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

Biblical womanhood grates against feminism and our modern conceptions of femininity. It's controversial, even among Christians. But what is at stake is that the word of God be not blasphemed. That's pretty serious stuff, and we see evidence of blasphemy against God prevalent all around us. Women even older than me need this message. 

Here's the other thing I've determined. The restoration of traditional families and gender roles is the only way out of the predicament society is in. America is on the brink of collapse, and I believe that everything we have seen during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the surge of Marxism and mob rule by domestic terrorists like BLM and Antifa, and the insanity of the woke leftist agenda, can be traced to the destruction of the nuclear family and the erosion of Judeo-Christian values. 

The good news is that it's not too late for a cultural revolution in the right direction, and each of us has control over how we respond to outside events and how we live our lives. The powers that be would love to remove our unalienable, God-given freedom and the constitutional liberty based upon faith in our Creator, so we must fight for it. We give our lives back to God, or we lose it all. 

In his 1995 "Letter to Women," John Paul II called on us, on the feminine genius, to save the world. What I plan to share with you in this series on biblical womanhood is exactly how we do it. 

Read the above passage from Titus carefully. Meditate upon it and hold it in your heart. Submit to the word of God. We must humble ourselves if we want to be guided by the Holy Spirit. We must believe that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, that where we follow God's will, there is always a way. It's time for Christian women to return to the home, to be full-time wives and mothers, to embrace being the guardians and keepers of our homes as our true vocation. Our rebellious spirits may recoil at this idea, and you might think that even if you wanted to quit your job, you simply can't. It just isn't a possibility in your circumstances. Try to still your soul and listen. Your feeling of discomfort, maybe even anger, is evidence of being convicted of the truth in your heart. If you are already home but are struggling, please also come along on this journey. In every case, acknowledge the fear and doubt you are feeling, and then lay it at Jesus's feet. 

Ohio COVID Restrictions Lifted Today | Why All Things Matter

 

This is a bittersweet day. By orders of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, all COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, with the exception of nursing homes and long-term care facilities. I imagine this is how an innocent person who went to prison would feel upon release. There is the joy of returned freedom, but yet a certain bitterness at having been unjustly jailed in the first place. What was taken from us can never be returned. 

To switch gears for a moment, over the Memorial Day weekend I attended the funeral of a 13-year-old girl who died in a house fire. Oh the heaviness of my soul. In the wake of tragic events such as these, it seems that we often reflect upon what is truly important in our lives and remind ourselves not to worry over petty little things. Surely there are lessons to be learned in this regard.

However, my reaction to the loss of this sweet, beautiful child was different than what I've experienced with past griefs. The message my spirit received was that all things matter. Everything in life matters. Most of our days are not filled with special occasions and momentous decisions. Everyday life is a process of small moments and seemingly trivial details. I'm coming to believe that exactly because life is so fragile, and we never know what destiny awaits us, the most simple choices we make every hour of our existence contain profound meaning and significance. 

The significance of this day of liberation for my state from the coronacult madness is the acknowledgement that while things may go back to "normal" on the surface, we must remain vigilant. Permanent damage has been done, and we will not know the full repercussions for years to come. We must not fall back into complacency.

There are plenty of those who don't want to step out of the prison and freely breathe again. They love their masks. They continue to live in an unholy fear, with their top priority being nothing greater than the avoidance of death. 

I have a family reunion coming up at the end of the month. The day before DeWine's announcement in May of his plan to lift restrictions, I was told that people would be expected to wear masks in the food line, despite it being an outdoor reunion, and so not even subject to the current mandate. I rejected this scenario, which resulted in a bit of friction. So when I learned a few days later of DeWine's June 2 date for mandate release, I thought the debate about masks at the family gathering would be settled. However, I then heard that it would depend upon whether or not attendees had been vaccinated! 

I will generally not be sharing my vaccination status, as my medical records are private, and so are everyone else's. To be told you have to wear a mask if you have not been vaccinated would be a gross overstepping of boundaries. Even to be asked whether or not you are vaccinated is just plain rude. But to be segregated publicly into groups of those who have and have not received the jab, which I've heard is happening even in some churches, is a violation of human dignity and equality. 

I don't think we are out of the woods yet. The tension around COVID and vaccines will continue to fester, and I have no doubt that we will see both minor and major explosions to come.

Today brings a sense of relief but also a sober reminder not to take our freedoms for granted. It's a call to remain aware of events, to stay tuned to the truth, and to be diligent in fighting the good fight. This whole ordeal exposed the fact that our country is not merely divided along political lines; we are in fact inhabiting contradictory realities. It does matter what reality you choose, and it's extremely important who we allow into our sacred spaces.

By this, I mean what people and ideas enter our homes, our hearts, our social media connections, our news sources, our places of worship, even where we shop and do business. The coming together of like-minded communities around matters of patriotic, religious, and personal freedom is imperative, as is pushing back against the tide of woke socialist evil. 

Our ensouled bodies are sacred, and every element of our lives in them must be treated as such and protected. The path forward must be the proverbial road less traveled. 

Starting My Day Differently | Intermittent Fasting | Earthing

 

Today I began a lifestyle reset, and already I can report excellent results! First, I didn't drink any coffee. Instead, I drank two cups of Earl Grey tea, so I've had substantially less caffeine than usual. Coffee tends to upset my stomach, jangle my nerves, and dehydrate me, and I suffered none of these adverse effects from the tea. 

But before I even had the tea, I brushed my teeth and then drank a cup of water with slices of lemon and a few ice cubes. I took it outside, raised my eyes to soak in some sunlight, and walked barefoot on the grass. The latter practice is called earthing. My chiropractor mentioned it to me, so last year, once it was warm enough, I began starting my day this way. You can read the list at the top of the page of all the amazing benefits.

The basic idea is that connecting your feet to the earth grounds you. The earth's electrons, which give off a naturally negative electrical charge, flow through you, and this helps to neutralize the electrons in our bodies. I notice a positive boost in my mood from just a few minutes of walking barefoot on the grass. 

The quality of sleep we get each night is influenced by what we do from the moment we wake up in the morning. Getting exposed to sunlight first thing helps to set one's circadian rhythms for wakefulness during the day and better sleep at night, and the earthing practice also promotes healthy sleep patterns. 

For breakfast, I usually have fig bars with my coffee or tea (Nature's Bakery brand are whole grain), but I find that, like the hobbits, I function best if I have "second breakfast". So today, awhile after eating the fig bars, I had a slice of avocado toast and vegetarian sausage. 

Another practice with many health benefits is intermittent fasting. This basically means that you eat all of your food in a window of a set number of hours. Inspired by Jennifer L. Scott of "The Daily Connoisseur" blog and YouTube channel, my goal is an eight hour window. However, I find that I sometimes need to give myself an extra hour. This afternoon I went to the greenhouse and planted flowers, which ran into my usual dinner making hour. So I gave myself an extra hour in my eating window.

A window of anywhere from 8 to 10 hours is standard, though some do an even smaller window. Jennifer lost 30 pounds in a year just from practicing intermittent fasting. I am hoping to lose weight as well, to make healthier dietary choices and avoid snacking in the evenings, and to optimize my metabolism and general health. 

Before getting showered and ready for the rest of the day, I had devotional time with my breakfast. I find that prayer and spiritual reading in the mornings set the tone for my entire day, helping me to be more calm, happy, patient, and productive. It also helped immensely that I slept through the night and got a solid 9 hours. Praise God! 

The last thing I did differently this morning was to take quercetin and homepathic allergy treatments instead of my usual Claritin. I want to taper off all my prescription and OTC meds and replace them with natural remedies and dietary changes. For now I'm still taking my nighttime asthma medicine, plus Benadryl, but I'm cutting down on that. I ran out of Flonase nasal spray and don't plan to refill my prescription. I also used my neti pot this morning and will make that a regular part of my daily routine. 

I got a lot done today, enjoyed myself, and spent quality time with my daughter while my husband was out of town. Every day may not go so smoothly, but I feel encouraged that I am setting myself up for success with better habits around food, sleep, and time in the sun. Now I'm going to take an evening stroll to cap off a lovely day!